A California judge has ordered University of California campus workers to end a strike after they set up picket lines on several campuses to protest the university’s response to anti-Israel demonstrations on campus.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Randall Sherman handed down the sentence Friday, according to CNS.
The university system filed the lawsuit early last week seeking to end a strike by its labor union, United Auto Workers Local 4811, after two failed attempts to obtain an injunction against the union from the state Public Employment Relations Board.
“We are extremely grateful that this strike has been paused to allow students to complete their studies,” UC Vice Chancellor for Labor Relations Melissa Matera said in a statement after Friday’s ruling. “The strike has caused irreparable setbacks to students’ academic progress and potentially stalled important research projects during the final quarter.”
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Academic workers at UCLA went on strike on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, alleging that their labor rights were violated by actions taken by the University of California during a crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests and encampments. (Getty Images)
“From the beginning, we have maintained that the strike is illegal and violates the no-strike clause in the contract agreed to by both parties,” Matera continued. “We respect the right of communities to engage in advocacy and progressive action on issues important to them, as well as lawful free speech activities, which continue throughout the system. But the UAW strike is unrelated to terms of employment, violates the agreement between the parties, and runs counter to established labor principles.”
Union members began the strike at UC Santa Cruz, and protests then spread to UC Los Angeles, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine.
“Over the past month, the University of California has used and tolerated violence against workers and students peacefully protesting on campus for peace and freedom for Palestine,” UAW Local 4811 President Rafael Jaime said in a statement.
At the time, Jamie called on UC to drop all criminal and conduct charges against members of the group because they had “spoken out against injustice.”
UAW Local 4811 is calling on UC campuses to grant amnesty to all faculty, staff and students who have been arrested or disciplined for protesting on campus. The union also called for guarantees of freedom of speech and political expression for students on campus, and for researchers to be allowed to divest from funding sources with ties to the Israel Defense Forces.
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UCLA faculty from the United Auto Workers Local 4811 picket on the first day of their strike in Los Angeles, California, May 28, 2024. (Getty Images)
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Anti-Israel demonstrators have been protesting on college campuses in California and across the United States since war broke out between Israel and Hamas after Hamas attacked the Jewish state on Oct. 7, leading to retaliatory action by the Israeli military.
The UC criticized the union’s allegations and filed its own unfair labor practice complaint, arguing that the union’s collective agreement contains a no-strike clause and that the union’s demands are outside the scope of the union’s labor issues.
The university system also rejected the amnesty request.
This comes after students and other demonstrators in recent months set up anti-Israel camps on the University of California campus to protest, during which hundreds of protesters have been arrested.
